Until now New Zealand only accepted IELTS Skilled Migrant Category applicants to showcase their English Language Skills. With the recent announcement made by New Zealand Immigration authorities on November 21, 2016 of TOEFL iBT as English language skills test, it has been now confirmed. An applicant willing to apply for the Skilled Migration Category can submit a TOEFL iBT® score to demonstrate proficiency in English-language. This provision has made it easier for applicants to become eligible to work in New Zealand.

To showcase TOEFL for English language proficiency, applicant needs to score over 79 or higher score in the TOEFL iBT test. Once taken, these results could be used for a period of 2 years calculated from the date of their application submission. Sources reveal that declaration has been made so as to make New Zealand an immigrant-friendly destination. In pursuance to make New Zealand a more receptive destination for immigrants, the nation revised its immigration criteria and confirmed to accept three standardized test of English language- IELTS, PTE and TOEFL. The COO and Vice President of Global Education David Payne at ETS said, “Highly skilled migrants from India, China and other key countries who were earlier choosing to go to the United States, Australia and Canada, can now look at New Zealand as a destination for employment opportunities.”